Band boosters get help from Lakewood Board

By Scott Rawdon

HEBRON – Lakewood School Board members have agreed to help the band boosters with band transportation expenses to the tune of roughly $5,300 after providing help to the athletic boosters for transportation expenses.

“As a whole, the board is in agreement,” said board president Judy White Wednesday. She said the board had yet to approve a formal resolution, but she believed board members favored helping the band boosters, who could expect the funding for this year only.

At the July board meeting, White told Lakewood athletic director Bo Hanson that the district would provide $40,000 for the new school year to the cash-strapped athletic department to help finance transporting athletes to and from games. During the August meeting, band director Lauren Houck said she believed the band boosters deserved the same consideration, especially as the band is sorely in need of new uniforms, which will cost around $90,000. “That’s why we’ve been saving for 23 years,” she said. “The uniforms are older than the assistant band director.” Houck said the $5,300 the boosters will save on transportation expenses would go directly toward new uniforms.

Houck said previously that the band has paid for its own student transportation for two years. And, the band is part of the school curriculum. She said performing is an important part of what the band does, and that requires transportation. “You might as well ask,” said Houck. “We presented them with numbers and they listened.”

Until 2010, the district funded transportation for band classes, including marching, concert, and jazz bands. Houck said from August 2011 to August 2012, band boosters spent $5,400 on transportation.

“We’re very excited about this,” said band boosters president Laura Beard.